By ITOHAN ABARA-LASERIAN

No fewer than 500 visually-impaired persons, on Monday, blocked airport roads in Lagos, demanding that the Federal Government should prioritise welfare of people living with disability.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the peaceful protesters were from Farmcraft Center for the Blind.

The protest disrupted activities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and caused gridlock on the roads.

Travellers had to walk long distances to catch their flights.

On behalf of the protesters, a man who identified himself simply as Mr Dolor, said that many blind people had resorted to begging to survive.

Dolor said the situation was not suitable.

He added that the school had been closed since 2023, saying that the visually-impaired needed to draw the government attention to the situation.

“They are angry that most of them are begging to survive.

“Now, their own school, unfortunately, has been shut. They have tried their best to make sure the government revives it but all the efforts proved abortive,” he said.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), in a statement, confirmed the protest.

FAAN said that security agencies were working to manage the situation. (NAN, but headline rejigged)